Monique Hernandez Class: Senior Hometown: Rio Rancho, NM High School: Cibola Height: 5-9 Position: Guard Birthdate: 03/22/1981

A competitive and experienced backcourt player who returns after a nearly two-year layoff … gives the Irish considerable depth at guard … will look to provide a veteran influence on a rapidly maturing squad … runs the floor extremely well … strong defensive presence will allow the Irish to become more of a pressing team in the backcourt … plays with a great deal of confidence, passion and intensity … has good court vision and likes to push the ball up the floor in Notre Dame’s transition game … also possesses quick hands and solid shooting eye from the perimeter.

REDSHIRT SEASON: Did not play … focused solely on academics during fall semester … suited up with Irish practice squad during spring semester.

AS A JUNIOR: Appeared in 11 games for the Irish, averaging 0.2 points and 0.6 assists in 6.9 minutes per game … posted season highs of two points, three rebounds and three assists vs. Army … elected to leave team for personal reasons on Jan. 1.

AS A SOPHOMORE: Played in 25 games and averaged 2.6 points and 1.1 rebounds … played season-high 25 minutes vs. Seton Hall and scored career-high 10 points … grabbed a career high five rebounds in BIG EAST opener against Villanova … sparked Irish in 70-61 win at USC with eight points … played in every game except Fordham, first Virginia Tech game, Syracuse and Rutgers … played 15 minutes in back-to-back games vs. St. John’s and Virginia Tech … had two points, two steals and an assist in 11 minutes vs. Miami … scored three points and had two assists and two rebounds in 13 minutes at Pittsburgh … sprained MCL in her knee forced her to sit out BIG EAST championships … played nine minutes and scored four points in NCAA tournament 1st-round win over Alcorn State … scored three points in 2nd-round win over Michigan and against Utah in regional semifinal victory … also saw action in post-season matchups with Vanderbilt and Connecticut.

AS A FRESHMAN: Played in 27 of 32 contests in her rookie season … saw action in the first seven games of the season … netted a career-high six points on three-for-four shooting against West Virginia and Villanova … tied that personal best with six points (3-4 from field) against Seton Hall while playing 16 minutes … played a career-high 21 minutes in second meeting versus St. John’s … scored five points in seven minutes of action in NCAA tournament first-round game versus San Diego … played 10 minutes of second-round contest versus George Washington … scored four points, grabbed two rebounds and dished off two assists in the contest … scored five points and tied her personal best with four rebounds against Valparaiso … also had a career-high two assists in the game while playing 13 minutes … played 15 minutes against Butler and registered personal bests of four points and four rebounds against the Bulldogs … played 19 minutes and scored four points in win over St. John’s … also played 15 minutes and grabbed four rebounds in win over North Carolina … hit her first career three-pointer against Purdue during the regular-season matchup … tallied four points against Marquette … did not play in the Florida International and Boston College contests … averaged 2.4 points and 1.0 rebounds.

HIGH SCHOOL CAREER: Two-time USA Today and Street & Smith’s honorable mention All-America … rated one of the top 30 high school guards by Blue Star Index … garnered All-America honors as a junior and senior … named New Mexico Player of the Year following her senior season in which she averaged 15.8 points, 9.5 rebounds, 4.2 assists and 4.0 steals … four-year starter, she finished her career at Cibola High School averaging 13.0 points, 6.6 rebounds, 3.1 assists and 2.8 steals … holder of five Cibola school records: career points (1,307), rebounds (625), steals (321), assists (303) and three-point field goals in a game (seven) … three-time District 5AAAA player-of-the-year honoree … a three-time all-state selection, earned all-conference and all-city honors all four years … recorded her first and only career triple-double on Jan. 30, 1999, when she scored 17 points, grabbed 12 rebounds and dished off 11 assists … set the school mark for three-pointers in a game when she went seven-of-eight en route to a game-high 31-point performance on Feb. 23, 1999.

PERSONAL DATA: Born March 22, 1981 in Heidelberg, Germany … second of four children … the first New Mexico native to play for Notre Dame … received her bachelor’s degree in sociology from the College of Arts and Letters in May 2003 … will begin taking graduate-level classes in criminology this fall … married Fred Martin in July 5, 2003 … selected to the 2001 BIG EAST Academic All-Star Team … some former Notre Dame players who wore No. 23 include Tricia McManus, Comalita Haysbert and Stacy Fields.

CAREER HONORS